Games of Love and Family
by NekoNoko
Summary: Sasuke wants Itachi's attention. Itachi wants Naruto's attention. Simple as that. What will young Sasuke do as he tries despretely to win back his older brother's attention, and what will Naruto do as he slowly realizes Itachi's unusual obsession?
1. Line of Interest

Games of Love and Family

AN: Well, this is my next fic… Or I guess my first, since I decided to clean out all my old fics and start over fresh. Trying to turn over a new leaf, ya know. A leaf of actually updating. Can't guarantee anything, though… I'm horrible at updating…

Neway neway, here it is, my Sasuita (Sasuke/Itachi), Itanaru (Itachi/Naruto) and Naruto… somebody… That's still undecided… I've always been a fan of Naruita… but there all so young in this fanfic… like… 6-ish… I haven't decided if I'm ever going to fast forward… but who knows… maybe I'll make a sequel where I use my Naruto joins the Akatsuki plot… yeah, I know, there are tons of those… but I'd like to add my humble NaruIta to the mix…

Disclaimer: I own nothing, dammit.

- - -

Chapter One – Line of Interest

- - -

_My Aniki is very important to me. The most important person in my life. Sometimes… sometimes, he looks at me, but his eyes don't focus, and I feel hurt inside, like he just doesn't realize me._

_I want nothing more then for my Aniki to stare at me with lively eyes all the time. That would make me very happy._

- - -

Uchiha Sasuke happily trotted into his family's dining room, jumping with childish energy onto his chair and grinning up at his mother. "It looks yummy, Oka-san!"

She smiled and looked as though she was going to respond. And she would have, if she wasn't interrupted by her eldest son and husband entering the room.

"Ah, hello Itachi! Was training good today, you two?" she questioned kindly, folding her arms over the table top.

Itachi shrugged while his father made a noise close to snort before beginning to eat. Sasuke gazed into his tea as his mother continue to regard the two older men with an unwavering smile between bites of her own meal. Was he not there? Did he not have training too that day? Did he not work hard, through his blood and sweat, just to do good?

"How was your training today, Sasuke?" Itachi asked as he eyed his younger brother, his gaze remaining passive and emotionless.

"Aa…" Sasuke started, his eyes growing wide and excited as his brother noticed him. "It was great, Aniki! We had a test on different Justus and I scored the highest! Iruka-sensei says I'm one of the top students in his class! He says I'm sure to be a good Konoha Shinobi one day!"

Sasuke wasn't sure, but he swore he saw a twitch of a smile on his older brother's face.

"Did you hear that, Oto-san, Oka-san, Sasuke is doing while in school."

Sasuke's father looked up for a moment, his eyes passing over Sasuke, before he shrugged, gave a mumbled 'that's good' and took a long sip of his sake.

"That's wonderful, Sasuke." His mother complimented as she affectionately patted his head. "My sons are so talented." She finished, effectively bringing the conversation back to Itachi as her eyes fell back on him. The pride and joy of the family: Itachi.

"Ano… I… I have a term exam tomorrow… one where the parents come to watch… y-you know… do you, ah, do you think you could come…?" Sasuke asked meekly, somehow feeling guilty about bringing the subject back to him. All his life, he'd lived in Itachi's shadow. He didn't enjoy it, but it was how his life was, and change was never easy for little kids such as he.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke, I'm busy tomorrow." The boys' father answered blankly, not even bothering to elucidate further. Sasuke hadn't been expecting anything more, but it still hurt.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I too am busy… I must help your cousin Miyako to plan for her wedding…" his mother, at least, sounded more apologetic.

"Aa… I see… well… that's okay. I'll work really hard on it, Oka-san, Ot-"

"I'll go, Otouto." Itachi calmly interrupted, not looking up from his plate.

"Aa… h-hai! Thank you, Aniki!" Sasuke replied, trying not to sound too bubbly. His smile pulled at the corners of his lips, threatening to break into a wide grin, and he quickly bowed his head to stare at his hardly touched food, shooting Itachi the odd shy looks.

_Aniki… what would I do without you?_

- - -

_Concentrate. Measure. Tighten. Pull Back. Release!_

The crowd cheered politely as Sasuke's shuriken hit the center of the target, earning him a ten for ten score. The young boy smiled, immediately turning to the crowd, eagerly searching for the figure of his brother. His brother was staring right at him, and Sasuke's whole body filled with a warm wave of emotion. Itachi realized him.

He didn't want to move, didn't want to step out of Itachi's line of interest, fearful that if he stepped aside, his brother would forget him completely. But he had to, as Iruka herded all the students to the side, making them line up in class order.

"You've all done well, class." Iruka said as he addressed the whole class. Sasuke felt himself straighten with pride. "You've all passed." Everyone cheered, jumping into the air with raised fists. Sasuke had the urge to cheer, but he wanted to appear cool before his brother. Itachi was always so cool, never showing excitement or fear, and he wanted to be just like Itachi.

"The passing order is, from best to worse, Uchiha Sasuke, Inuzuka Kiba, Shino…"

He was first. Like always, really, but now… now, for the first time, he had someone to congratulate him on it. Someone to praise him.

Iruka finished reading off the list of students and, once again, the small crowd broke into polite applause, this time louder. Some children ran towards their parents, jumping into willing arms, while some waited for their parents to reach them.

Itachi was in no rush, Sasuke realized, and he watched as his brother regarded the flurry of activity around him with bored eyes. He was about to go to him when the older boy looked up, staring in his direction again, and slowly made his way forward.

Sasuke grinned. He was going to get recognized now… was going to be told how great he was, and how talented he was…

Itachi came closer and closer, going in his long, steady strides. The parents he passed all took a moment to glance at him, their faces conveying nothing but silent respect for the Uchiha prodigy.

"That was very well done…" Sasuke bit his bottom lip to keep his utter bliss concealed. To be regarded so highly by his brother… it had never happened… "Naruto-chan…"

_N-Naruto-chan?_

Sasuke's heart stopped. That wasn't his name. He tilted his head to the left slightly, watching as his brother stopped before the golden haired boy beside him.

He knew that boy… it was Uzumaki Naruto. The dunce of the class. He failed most exams and always acted out during class. For this exam alone he'd insisted on doing seven of the rounds with his eyes closed, stopping only after Iruka-sensei ordered him to after he nearly clipped the ear of a mother. The next three had been pitiful attempts, and the only reason he'd passed was because of his last shot which, miraculously, hit dead center in a fluke of pure luck.

No one had cheered, though. No one ever cheered for the dobe.

But now… now his brother was cheering for him. Cheering for the dobe and not his own brother.

"Aah… th-thank you…" Naruto responded shyly, blushing and childishly wringing his hands together. Sasuke stared on incredulously.

"That last shot was perfectly aimed." The Uchiha prodigy continued.

"It… it was all skill! After all, I am the best ninja in my class!" Naruto replied haughtily, seeming to get passed his shyness as he took a proud pose with his arms crossed over his chest and his chin tilted up.

Itachi smiled. A real smile. Not the ghosts of a smile he graced Sasuke with. This was still a small smile, but Sasuke swore it was the best Itachi had ever given. Sasuke had never felt more betrayed in his life. His young mind couldn't quite comprehend the emotions that were going through him, making his toes twitch in his blue sandals. He just knew he had to do something. Felt the need to do anything. He just had to act out.

"Y-you're not the best! I'm the best!" Sasuke injected, his voice holding a sour note of pleading. He looked up at Itachi helplessly, not sure what he was wishing to see. He hated how he was visibly pleading for his older brother's attention, and he hoped he hadn't realized. And yet, he hoped he had realized at the same time.

But nothing. Not even the slightest shift of interest was visible in his placid brother, his eyes remaining locked on the shorter boy.

"Yeah, well… Um…" Naruto fumbled, not knowing how to reply to Sasuke's truthful accusation. "I'm… I'm still going to be the best ninja one day! And then I'll be the best Hokage! And everyone will recognize me and have to cheer me on when I get perfect shot shurikens!"

"That's a very impressive dream, Naruto-chan." Itachi said softly, seemingly ignoring his younger brother. Sasuke hurriedly shut his gaping mouth, not understanding at all why his brother was talking to the blonde haired dobe and not his own blood sibling.

"Isn't it?! And I'm gonna work really hard to achieve it! And when I'm Hokage, I'll make kids that pick on other kids eat dirt!" The obnoxious boy shouted, ending his sentence with loud laughter that earned glares of distaste from surrounding parents.

"Hn, well, I hope you achieve your goal. We must be going now. Good bye, Naruto-chan." Itachi said, barely waiting a moment before he turned and began walking away.

If it weren't for the 'we' comment, Sasuke would have been sure his brother had forgotten him. As it was, he still wasn't completely sure, but he chased after a parting Itachi none the less, shooting Naruto a hateful glare before he left the small clearing.

The last image he saw of the loud boy was him waving exuberantly to the departing Uchihas.

Trying desperately to get that image out of his head, Sasuke looked up at his older brother. He was much taller then him, and his gaze was set forward, giving Sasuke a view of barely more then his chin. He had to struggle to keep up with Itachi's long stride, and he quickly had to set his gaze back on the ground ahead of him.

When the silence became too much, and Sasuke could no longer contain his frantic emotions inside any more, he finally asked a question.

"A-aniki… why… why did you praise Naruto? He… he missed most of the shuriken shots…" _And why didn't you praise me_, he added silently to himself, wincing slightly at the needy thought.

"Hn… really? It must have been another boy I saw that got them all, then…" He replied absently.

"That… that was… that was me, Aniki…" Sasuke whispered, still fighting to keep up with Itachi. He was tall for his age, but his legs were still that of a child's.

"Oh? Well done then, Sasuke." Itachi said, though his voice was the same tone as before and his eyes never once met Sasuke's face.

The younger boy cringed. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. Or it was… but something about the hollow way it was said made the words seem worthless. He wanted to prod his brother further. Ask him why he had said all those things to Naruto and why he had ignored him so much, but he couldn't form any words. His mouth was dry and his lips suddenly felt cracked. Some part of him was grateful for this sudden handicap, for he'd never forgive himself if he bled all his pathetic thoughts to Itachi.

And anyway… what were the chances Itachi would respond? Not just to his words, but to him? What were the chances that his older brother would actually see him, for once, for all that he was?

"Thank you, Aniki…" He said, not even trying to hide the disappointment and despair from his voice. What was the point? Itachi probably wouldn't notice either way…

_Aniki… why do you ignore me? Why don't you see me? Why do you so easily look away from me?_

- - -

E-N-D

AN: I'd really like a beta, if anyone is interested. ; And… I had more to say… Oh… I hope I got the child Sasuke thing down… I was trying to give the whole fic that clumsy kiddy feel… I had something else to say… but I've forgotten it . Oh, yeah! Now I remember! Please excuse the random Japanese… I watch it in subs… hearing the characters say terms like that… and then it just seems to fit them so perfectly… I'm sorry… I know they annoy the hell outta me sometimes, random Japanese words… but as I was thinking up this story, I kept seeing the characters using them…

p.s. I really don't wanna be one of those authors that says review or I won't update, but I'll just say this. When I'm on the computer and all the sudden I randomly see I've gotten a review on this, it does encourage me to update a lot more then not getting a review. I just see the review and my heart fills with warm water and I have the sudden urge to update. So yeah… want more… update.

Cha

Ah! Oh yeah! Anyone know the name of Sasuke's parents? /


	2. BandAids

Games of Love and Family

AN: Wha, I'm starting this earlier then I thought I would x3 I should really be doing math homework… but I always work best after letting my creative thoughts flow… or something. Either way, thanks to all those that reviewed and gave me the strength to write this chappy - Now, to address every post individually…

Half-Devil: Yeah, I used realize on purpose, since it ends up sounding sort of childish and, well, just a little… unbalanced, I guess, when used in this tense. And though this chapter isn't directly in Sasuke's pov, it was sort of meant to be more or less. And glad you like it

thuyhy-thuyhy: I'm confused… are you a itanaru fan? is having a moment of slow-dom where she feels she should be able to see through the post but just isn't sure >. ;;;

xxSNOWxxDROPxx: There's totally more… and yeah… maybe I did make him a little too harsh… but there was a reason behind Itachi's one-sighted-ness for Naru… Other then that moment, though, Itachi is a pretty good older brother, as older brothers go…

animedude2004: Heh, sad. Sad Good, heehee.

Patty: Mmm… there may be moments of fluff… but it will always leave one party depressed ; And I'm glad their relationship seemed good. I was a little worried about that…

Now! Onto the chapter, gao!

Oh! Wait! Almost forgot!

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto… there'd be more Itachi. Itachi is just so damn cool. Gaara's cool too, though.

- - -

Chapter Two – Band-Aids

- - -

_I wake up every morning at the same time. Oka-san and Oto-san are gone, no one is home. But today, you're there. I know you should be gone, but you're there, staring at me with always even eyes._

_Why are you here, Aniki, when you should be gone? Don't you have more important things to do, Aniki? Why are you here? Why are you here?!_

- - -

House birds awoke with cries across the Uchiha's stretch of land, their shrill voices echoing through the long and empty halls. They were trained birds, taught to cry at the stroke of seven, their intelligence great enough to decipher time by the sun.

Sasuke had already been up since five.

The young boy stumbled in through the back entrance, nearly tripping on the ledge of the door frame as he struggled to take his muddied shoes off. His brow and exposed limbs were coated with a thin layer of sweat and both his knees were scratched and slightly raw.

"Oka-san! Oka-san! W-wait…" Sasuke shouted between pants, rushing towards the front of the large house. His small arm shot out to tightly grip the edge of a screen door as he rounded into the room.

"O-Oka-san… where's… where's Oto-san?" Sasuke feebly asked, more out of breath then before. His mother was just leaving herself, a loose coat half on, half off. For a moment Sasuke's eyes caught on the Uchiha crest that was sewn into the back of the garment, though his eyes quickly fleeted back to his mother's eyes.

He'd awoken especially early today, with the one goal of training with his father in mind. It was only yesterday that he'd had his term exam, and a short break rested ahead of him. A break he was determined to use to show his father how great he was.

_Since Aniki obviously doesn't care anymore…_

He dug his thumb into his palm as that thought crossed his mind, not allowing it to go further. It was a lie. He wasn't just doing this to forget about Itachi and his horrible treachery the day before. He just wanted to spend time with his father. That was all. All the other children in town did it…

"Oh, your father left some time ago with Itachi." She replied carelessly, not understanding the impact her words would have with the young boy staring up at her intently.

"Oto-san… he left? Already? But… but he said…" Sasuke's voice hushed into a whisper as he locked his hands behind his back, his gaze already set on the wooden floors beneath his bare feet.

"Mmm? What did he say, Sasuke-kun?" His kind mother questioned further, kneeling down to her son's level and sweeping her black hair out of her face.

"… Nothing. Nothing at all, Oka-san…" _Nothing except that he'd train with me…_

There was a moments pause before Sasuke's mother straightened to her full height, and even another before she shifted her gaze from the top of her son's head.

"Okay, Sasuke. I'll be back in a bit. Be careful, and if you need anything urgently, call upon one of your cousins."

"Itte rasshai…" The young Uchiha mumbled in farewell, his head still swimming in misgivings and melancholy that any child would feel at being forgotten by a parent.

"Itte Mairimasu." She replied, followed closely by the sound of a closing screen door.

Sasuke stayed where he was a few moments, his head still bowed, his silky black bangs forming a wall before his eyes.

Fleeting moments of this morning passed before his mental eyes. Sasuke always had a good memory for a kid, and the events that took place earlier were still fresh in his mind.

He remembered his father's odd stare when he had asked to train with him, and his stiff reply of 'In a moment, Sasuke'. He still remembered the way the small, pointy rocks in the yard hurt under his feet as he pounded against them outside, waiting in ready for his strict father to arrive.

And he didn't come… so Sasuke began to train, imagining all the scenarios where his father would step in during some grand show of skill. And he'd applaud from the shadows, smiling and laughing as he stepped forward, singing nothing but praises for his younger son and not a word for his elder son.

And then the birds had sounded, and the young boy was filled with distress.

And now he was here, biting back burning tears and staring with blurred eyes at the natural swirls in the wooden floors.

_Why… why does everyone ignore me? Aniki, Oto-san… do they hate me? Why don't they ever spend time with me? Aren't I… aren't I a good son? A good brother? What…?_

A muffled sob threatened to escape Sasuke's grasp, and he scolded himself for being so weak. Itachi would never cry over something as meaningless as this. Never ever. So he wouldn't cry either. Simple as that.

The young Uchiha boy repeated that over and over in his head before he felt a familiar stony feeling in his gut. It was like all the bad feelings were rolled into a tight ball and just left floating in the odd liquids that resided in the pit of his stomach.

It wasn't a nice feeling, and at this present time it left a bitter taste on Sasuke's tongue and the roof of his mouth, but it gave him the strength to get past all the event of the morning.

Sasuke made a face and disdainfully swallowed before setting off towards the kitchen. It really did leave a bad taste in his mouth.

His family was the head of the Uchiha clan and, as such, had the biggest property of the clique. With less then half of it currently being used, and more then a half dozen rooms gathering dust (of course, in theory only, for the Uchihas were a very neat clan and would never let that happen), Sasuke found himself traveling empty hallways more times then not.

In fact, his house alone had two kitchens, though the one near the back was hardly to never used.

But the second kitchen was the farthest thing from his head at the moment, his mind set on nothing but getting a glass of water to clear the bitter flavor from his mouth.

The black marble counters were high in the kitchen, and Sasuke had to go through the childish process of fumbling to the top. Even then, he had to carefully balance upright as he swung the cabinet door open.

Sasuke fought to keep the blush from his cheeks, finding solace only in the fact that no one was here to see him through all these troubles. Really… all this for water… If Itachi had seen, he didn't know what he'd do.

_Aniki… what would you say if you saw me like this?_

It was odd, how memories sometimes resurfaced, and at that moment, a long forgotten moment passed before Sasuke's eyes.

He remembered being in much the same situation as now, struggling for a simple glass of juice, except he was smaller, and the cupboards higher. Climbing onto the countertop was quite a grueling task, as he remembered, and he'd been just about to give up when two strong arms locked around his waist and placed him back on the ground.

Who else could it be but Itachi? And then his elder brother had smiled that barely-there smile before patting his head fondly, murmuring how cute he was as he easily withdrew a red-tinted glass.

Most of Sasuke's earliest memories had Itachi in some form or the other, and it made him nostalgic when he thought of them. Itachi had changed over the years… or had he himself? No, it was definitely Itachi…

"Biiiiii biiii!" A bird shrieked from outside, shocking Sasuke and forcing him out of his mournful daze.

"Aa…" He started, still startled, as he found himself unintentionally leaning back. It was a second later when he felt the heel of his foot stumble against the edge of the counter, and then the powerless, dizzying feeling that accompanied the realization that he was going to fall.

And then, he fell. Hard. His eyes forced themselves shut the moment his feet lost all grip on the counter. Both his shoulders and head split the impact of the fall, his head making a dull thud with the landing and his thin shoulders cracking audibly. A hiss escaped his lips as a shot of pain traveled through his body.

The glass made a disastrous shattering sound of it's own as it landed beside Sasuke's, his face contorting as he worked to conceal the emotions that alighted as he felt the light touch of glass shards.

_Aniki… why weren't you here to help me? To keep me from getting hurt and falling? What happened? Why did you change so much?_

Sasuke's mouth lazily hung open as his dark eyes slid half-open. All he was greeted with was the somewhat blurred sight of the hanging lights in the kitchen, too lazy to shift his head for a better view. He could already feel two clean cuts on his cheek, each slowly beginning to flow. Feeling the sudden urge to see his own blood, Sasuke's eyes shifted as far to the right as they could, resulting in a shooting pain in the corners of his eyes that built into a blinding ringing.

Once again, the young boy's eyes fluttered shut and he took a husky breath, feeling all the energy and force drain from his body as blood traveled down his cheek to gather on the floor.

_Oka-san will be upset I stained the floor…_

Even with his eyes closed, the feeling that the room was spinning was not lost on Sasuke, and his eyes shifted against their lids.

_Aniki… I feel sick… please come, Aniki… Please come and help me again…_

- - -

"Nnn…" Sasuke muttered as he felt sense return to his limbs. His fingers twitched as a tingling feeling passed through every joint. It was an unusual feeling… nothing like waking up from sleep… if anything, more like waking up from a comma, not that Sasuke knew anything of what that would feel like.

A moment passed before Sasuke was prepared to sit up. His mind still felt clouded and his body still heavy. Not a very nice feeling at all.

Still, it only got worse when he sat up, and he was more then surprised when a cold, damp cloth fell from his forehead into his lap. Not understanding how he'd overlooked the cooling sensation in the first place, Sasuke stupidly picked it up and stared. A second later he became very conscience of two Band-Aids on his arm and three on his cheek.

_Weird… I thought there were only two cuts on my cheek…_

Sasuke put light pressure on one of the covered cuts on his cheek, dimly wondering if it was still bleeding and wincing at the whisper of pain he caused.

Suddenly awake, the boy glanced to his right, his silent queries answered when he saw no traces of broken glass.

It took Sasuke a few seconds of senseless staring at the cloth before realization finally broke through. The Uchiha's eyes lighted with excitement as he jumped to his feet, ignoring the swooning feeling in his head and indifferent to the cloth that tumbled to the floor.

_He… came to help me!_

Running caused even more of a head rush for Sasuke, who'd been on the floor for far too long, though it didn't stunt him in the least.

"Aniki! Aniki! Aniki, where are you?! I… I know you came! You did come, right, Aniki? You're… you're the one that helped…? Aniki?!" Sasuke called out, his voice echoing uselessly against deaf walls. The house was still dark and empty. He slowed to a stop as he burst into the main sitting room.

Panic flared in his chest, with sadness and anger threatening to overtake it.

_Aniki… isn't here? But…_

"But he helped me…" Sasuke whispered, his words finishing the thought running through his mind. It didn't make sense. It just didn't. Who else would do something like this if not Itachi? He bit his bottom lip, refusing to seriously consider that Itachi wasn't behind this.

"He… he probably just didn't… he just… it's probably that…" Sasuke started softly, each thought dieing on his lips before it even had a chance to catch.

_He… He's different, Aniki… There's no way I can understand what he's thinking or why he does stuff… This… this could be his way of showing he cares, that he's sorry for yesterday… this can be him helping in his own way…_

The mind of children can be easily manipulated, and Sasuke was already glowing with joy at his new revelation. Itachi did care about him, and this was his way of showing it. He just needed to use some logic, and then it all made sense.

_Of course it makes sense. I am his younger brother… we understand each other easily…_

Complete contradiction to what the boy had been thinking earlier, but still enough to put a smile on his face. His small fingers ghosted over the Band-Aids on his arms and he could just imagine Itachi's skilled fingers placing them on, sending shivers through his bones with every gentle touch.

A heartbeat passed as Sasuke stayed planted in that moment, but a shy glance out the nearest window told him that the sun was still high in the sky. He grinned a slightly more mischievous grin than the smile before as his hands balled into tight fists. There was still time to train before his parents returned.

And tomorrow, he'd wake up extra early, just to train with Itachi.

_Thank you, Aniki, for helping me with my cuts and pains. If you hadn't come, no one would have. You're the only one that ever comes, Aniki. The only one…_

- - -

E-N-D

AN: Still looking for a beta, but a big thanks to Klamp-nii for helping me beta this chapter tightly huggles Wha Thanks

Klamp: Wait… is this implying incest at all? >.>.

…

Go ItachixSasuke!

Neko: Nuuuuuu! ItachixNaru! hiss ItachixNaru! Go play Mirahato! >:u


	3. Crushed Ivy

Games of Love and Family

AN: Wha! Starting another chapter so soon! And why, you may ask? Well, because I know how slow the last chapter was, and I'm dreadfully for it, but it was needed to make my way to this chapter, which I've been dieing to write for a while x3 It's nothing too amazing as chapters go, but since getting the idea I've been paranoid that I'd lose it before I could write it, eh heh

Still looking for a goodBeta ;-;

SGL: I'm so glad you like it! Sorry about the pairing thing. For some reason, I'm obsessed with Ita pairing fics… but, to be honest, no matter how much I try and see it, I can't see any real romances developing in this fic. They're just too young… and Itachi is just too… messed in the head. I'm not even sure if this can be considered sasuita, since I'm starting to think Sasuke just has really, really strong devotion for Itachi and later on misplaces it as love… Whaaaa, thank you again! I'm so glad Sasuke came off well.

Someone: I got this written as fast as I could, thanks for the review x3

Plur: Yeah… he's a hopeless little boy… I can't believe how Sasuke-oriented this fic has started out . I hate Sasuke… And all will be revealed in future chapters And seriously… we –really- need more itanaru here .

Disclaimer: Don't own anything, duuuuh! Why would I write fanfiction if I did:o

-

Chapter Three – Crushed Ivy

-

_Is it bad that I want to spend lots of time with you, Aniki? Is there something wrong with that? You stare as I ask, but still say no._

_But if there's nothing wrong with only wanting to be by your side, Aniki, then how come you walk away as soon as you finish answering?_

-

Uchiha Sasuke slumped lazily in his chair, his arms crossed over the table and his head resting on them. The cuts on his cheek itched as they healed beneath their bandages and he tried his hardest not to pick.

This morning had not gone as planned. With his childish whims set on wishing Itachi goodnight (and earning a nightly word in return), Sasuke had eagerly stayed up till well past his bedtime. His mother returned later that day, but Sasuke refused to reveal his reasons for standing guard by the door to her.

It was hours still till Sasuke finally gave into fatigue, though he'd never be able to answer how many exactly. His body, worn from his own form of demanding training, was all too happy to slip into restfulness for the night.

Even the daily cries of the birds hadn't been able to wake him from his deep sleep, his mother having had to shake him into awareness.

Now he couldn't even meet Itachi's eyes across the table, feeling guilty for spoiling plans he hadn't even known about.

"Sasuke-kun, eat your breakfast like a good boy." His mother kindly guided as she nudged his arm.

"Yes, Oka-san…" He replied dully, loosely gripping his chopsticks as he reached for his small bowl of rice.

Everyone was seated around the table at this time in the morning, though Sasuke knew the moment wouldn't last much longer. The continuous flick of the second-hand on the clock above the door was a constant reminder.

"Na, Sasuke-kun…" Started Sasuke's mother, shaking her son from his spellbound state. Why was staring at a clock such a hypnotizing activity? "It's your term break now… and, well, I don't like leaving you home alone so often… so, what do you think about going to play with some of your friends from school?"

Sasuke blinked.

Did he even have any friends? When he considered it, no names really stood out as being special to him. He wasn't un-liked at school, but he wasn't well liked either.

"Can't I… can't I just stay with Aniki?" Sasuke answered innocently, locking his eyes on Itachi. His brother didn't even look up.

"Sasuke-kun, you know Itachi is busy. He's very talented, your older brother. He has to train so he can reach his full potential one day and be a proud, powerful Leaf shinobi."

Itachi paused as the words of praise were spoken, his chopsticks held halfway to his mouth. Opting to abandon the food, the older boy placed his chopsticks across his plate, carefully wiping his mouth with his napkin before standing upright at the table.

"I must be going now, Oto-san, Oka-san. As you say, if I want to be the best I can, I have to train."

"Aaa, goodbye, Itachi. Train hard today." The boys' mother said as she gave Itachi's arms a small squeeze of affection before he could exit the room.

"Oh, and Otouto…" Itachi called back from a few steps outside the dining room. "We'll play later, okay?"

"Ah, h-hai!" Sasuke called back after a moment of shocked silence, his high tone earning him a frown of annoyance from his father.

_Do you mean it, Aniki? Really!_

Sasuke swung his legs in his seat as he fought to contain the happiness that suddenly overwhelmed him, already digging into his food with renewed vigor.

Some small part of his brain seemed to believe that the faster he finished his breakfast, the faster 'later' would come.

"So, Sasuke-kun, what do you think of Yamanaka Ino?"

"Mmm?" Sasuke mumbled, bringing his bowl of miso soup away from his lips and hastily wiping the thin trail of liquid leading down his chin.

"To play with today, of course." His mother finished in a pleasant voice.

"Aaa… I… I guess…" Sasuke fumbled, not quite following the discussion. When had this plan of playing become so serious?

"Good, because I arranged a date with her today for you. At lunch, we'll go meet her at the park. Is all that okay, Sasuke-kun?"

"Aah… Ino…" Sasuke repeated thoughtfully, seeing if he could remember the girl's face as he picked at the edges of one of the Band-Aids on his arm. Almost instantly the image of a smiling blond-haired girl popped into his head.

_Ino… well, she's just a girl… and there's no way she can be more fun then Aniki to be with… but… I guess it couldn't be that bad…_

"I… guess it will be fun…" Sasuke finally answered after a slight pause, not sure exactly what to say when the plans were already made.

"I'm sure it will be." Sasuke's mother finished with a smile just as his father stood and silently excused himself from the table.

-

"Yamanaka-san."

"Uchiha-san."

Sasuke nearly hid behind his mother as the two older women greeted each other respectably, the blond girl across from him looking anything but meek withher thumbs locked in the loops in her short's waistband and her eyes twinkling.

She was smiling, even now, and Sasuke was suddenly reminded of how loud and noisy she was in class. He grimaced and stared at his feet, his bright blue sandals suddenly very interest grabbing.

"I'm glad we could arrange this for little Ino-chan and Sasuke-chan." Ino's mother said, making the atmosphere around the small group slightly more relaxed.

"As am I. I'm sure Sasuke-kun will enjoy himself. I'm afraid he doesn't go out with friends too often."

Sasuke had the urge to shrink as his mother spoke, though he couldn't quite understand why. It was true… but then, why was he so upset that it was spoken?

"Aaa, I'm sure the day will be amusing for the both of them." The other mother finished, one of her hands drifting to run through her daughter's short blond hair. The young girl hurriedly skipped to the side and rudely stuck her tongue out at her mother, who merely gave a smile and a sigh. "I suppose we should be off now, Uchiha-san. Swiftly, before I upset Ino-chan more."

"Ah, of course, I understand." Sasuke's mother replied with a soft chuckle before she turned to her own child. "Now, Sasuke-kun, be careful. Don't be out too late, and remember to drink lots of liquids. You don't want to get sick, now."

"Hai, Oka-san." Sasuke replied dutifully, watching Ino out of the corner of his eye.

_What kind of a badly-behaved girl acts like that around her Oka-san? I knew this would be no fun… I wish I could just spend the day with Aniki…_

"Goodbye, Sasuke-kun. Have fun." His mother finished with a gentle kiss to his forehead.

Both children watched as their mothers departed, their eyes locked on their parting forms. When they could finally no longer be seen, Ino leaped ahead of Sasuke, stopping so close their noses would be able to touch if he hadn't flinched back. The girl gave a giggle in reply and clasped her arms behind her back.

"Do you remember who I am? From class?"

"Y-yes…" Sasuke replied hesitantly, wanting to take another step back but resisting the rude urge.

"I sit right behind you, you know. So I'm always staring at the back of your head." The girl went on, suddenly grinning mischievously.

"I… see…" That grin wasn't doing anything to calm Sasuke down, and right now, he felt like running from the small girl.

_Are all girls this scary…?_

She giggled again, one hand working on covering her mouth as the other pushed back blond strands.

"You're cute. And funny. I like you, Sasuke-kun. Here, I have something for you." The girl said bluntly as she reached into her pocket and cheerily extended her open palm.

"A… weed?" Sasuke asked, lost, as he picked up the small plant.

_It looks like a weed…_

"It's not weed! It's not!" She hastily protested as she rushed forward, her small hands tugging on Sasuke's shirt as she fought to hold his attention. "It's ivy! Ivy! It… It stands for friendship! I… I thought it would be a good gift… to help our beautiful friendship grow… like a plant… like ivy… It's not a weed, though!" She paused, taking a breath to calm herself as she released her grip of his shirt. "My… my family runs a flower shop. They make me learn all sorts of stupid stuff like that…"

Sasuke glanced from the girl to the plant, a frown on his young face.

_It still looks like a weed…_

The significance of the greenery was lost on the boy, unable to get past the fact that it looked like nothing more then a weed.

"I don't want it. Here." The younger Uchiha son said as kindly as he could as he handed it back to the girl.

"No! You have to take it! You can't just give back a heartfelt gift like that! You can't! Keep it!" Ino practically pleaded as she stared at Sasuke with her large eyes.

It was that unyielding gaze of ocean-blue eyes that made Sasuke feel guilty for refusing her flower, and he almost immediately regretted it.

_Oka-san and Oto-san told me never to be rude to girls… I have to be better for now on, or I'll make the Uchiha clan look bad…_

With that in mind Sasuke shrugged, promptly shoving the ivy in his back pocket.

"Okay then."

She smiled. Sasuke felt relieved. Things were better now. The two began to casually walk through the park's dirt paths, Ino happily swinging her arms while Sasuke calmly placed his hands in his pockets.

"So, Sasuke-kun, what do you want to do?"

Sasuke shrugged in reply. This was his first play-date, after all. How was he to know how these things worked?

"Do you want to play on the swings?"

He shrugged again.

"Do you want to talk?"

Half into a shrug, Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Talk… about what?" He asked cautiously.

"Do you like anyone in class, Sasuke-kun?" Ino asked softly as she shylytried to hide her face in her hands.

"Like?" Sasuke repeated, not sure what to make of the girl's question.

_Girls are so confusing… Aniki never asks me who I like or dislike…_

"You know… someone who you feel happy when you're with, and someone who you want to be with a lot. Someone that you think about when you're with them, and who you think about when you're not with them. You know… someone you like." The girl finished, her voice going from as low as a whisper at some points and as high as a squeak at others.

_Somone who I like to be with and want to be with… someone I'm happy when I'm with… and someone I think about a lot…_

"I… I like my Aniki." Sasuke finally answered after seconds of silent thought.

"Noooo! Not like like that! Liiiiike like!" Ino protested loudly.

"What's the difference?" Sasuke asked, honestly interested now as confusion took him.

"Well… it's… it's like… for family… it's different. It just is. It feels different. It just does. And you can tell the difference, in feeling I mean, between one like and another like. This like… it's… it's the first person you think of when you wake up, and the first person you think of before you sleep, and the first person you think of when you're happy, and the first person you think of when you're sad… and, well, the first person you think of when you're lonely." Ino sighed as she ended her passionate answer, refusing to meet Sasuke's gaze, which was steadily locked on her throughout the explanation of the differences of likes.

_I think of Aniki when I wake up… I think of Aniki when I sleep… I think of him when I'm happy, sad and lonely… I don't feel any different type of like… I really do like Aniki._

For some reason, Sasuke felt being truthful, despite what his mother had always said, would not be the best answer at this moment. Ino was now shooting him meek glances that made him flustered and he'd already been mean enough to the girl so far.

"I… I don't like anyone then… not in that way."

"Oh… I see…"

Silence passed between them for a second, Ino staring sadly at the flowers lining the path and Sasuke wondering if lying really was best in this situation. Ever since he was a little kid, he was always told lying was bad. Why did it suddenly feel so hard to tell the truth?

"Want to go eat lunch, Sasuke-kun?" Ino finally asked, breaking the immature tension between the two.

"Aa, s-sure, Ino."

"Great! There's a yummy little stand right near here! C'mon, I'll show you!" The girl said in a rush as she captured one of Sasuke's hands in two of her own and led him off towards a side path. Sasuke's first instinct was to struggle and pull his hand away, but he decided against it, seeing no real harm in holding hands. It did feel a little awkward, and it did make his hand a little sweaty, but he didn't pull away.

It was a few fumbled leaps later when Ino finally slowed, shooting a toothy grin at the frazzled Sasuke.

"Here! Ichiraku Ramen! The best Ramen in Konoha! I swear it!"

_Ramen… we hardly eat that at home…_

"The best? Really? Well… I'll just have to judge that… I should be able to tell after two or three bowls." Sasuke stated haughtily, beginning to relax in the girl's company. Food always did seem to lighten people's moods.

"If you say so, Sasuke-kun! Race you to the stand!" Ino called with a giggle as she darted towards the stand, already earning a lead over the dumbfounded boy.

After a moment of anger, a moment of joy, and a moment of childish growling and Sasuke was after her, easily evening the match out till they were elbow to elbow.

"Almost there, Sasuke-kun! I'm gonna win!" Ino sang gleefully.

"I don't think so, Inn…" Sasuke trailed off, his taunts dying on his lips as he stumbled to a stop. Ino also stopped as she noticed his pause, raising a brow and placing her hands on her hips.

"Sasuke-kun, what's wr-"

"Aniki?" Sasuke asked breathlessly, his gaze focused on his brother's back, clearly visible seated at Ichiraku's.

Seated next to…

"Uzumaki."

Sasuke's voice was far harsher then he realized, and the now hated name drippingwith bitterness.

_Why are you sitting next to Uzumaki, Aniki? Why are you looking at him as he laughs? Looking at him as he talks? Why are you here with Uzumaki Naruto, Aniki!_

-

E-N-D

AN: This chapter better be good X.x;;; if I hadn't been inspired to write it right away, I could have gone to bed an hour ago… (note: this didn't get betaed fora loooong timesince my beta was being unconviniencing. Want faster updates? Be my beta, hee) and I really need sleep… got my report card Tuesday… same average… but my math mark plummeted vv Math is my first period every day… what class do you think is most effected when I stay up all night writing stories on ninjas? o

Ah, another thing! Just thought I should say, the next chapter will follow Naruto, as will the following two. It'll go in groups of three like that, following each character to get more from their view. So you'll find out if it was Itachi that bandaged him up, and maybe how Itachi and Naruto came to eating lunch together…

Oooh! 'Nother thing! I've always preferred the inosasu pairing over sakusasu. It just seemed so much more real. And at this point in Sasuke's life, he hasn't gone all broody yet, so I'm assuming the girls don't go mad for him yet, but I'm just making Ino have a little crush on him. I may be taking it too far, but it's my fic, and in it, Sasuke is pretty awkward with friends and the such, since he's had a pretty sheltered life.

Review for more, dudes and chickettes

It is –so- hard to write for Sasuke's mother when I don't know her goddamn name .

Ugh, now I need sleep v.v

Oh, and just to say… anyone that also read my other fic, Band Life, will receive a little spoiler in next chapter x3

Klamp: Eh..heh.. and the delay was all my fault... damn me.


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